Discover magical Istanbul

A stay in Istanbul is not complete without the traditional and unforgettable boat excursion up the Bosphorus, the winding strait that separates Europe and Asia. Its shores offer a delightful mixture of past and present, grand splendor and simple beauty.

» Anzac Cove

Anzac Cove is the small cove on Turkey's Gallipoli Peninsula where the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landed during World War I. It then became the primary base for Australian and New Zealand troops during the eight-month Battle of Gallipoli. The landing date, April 25, has since been designated as Anzac Day and serves as a day of commemoration for the 60,000 Australians and 18,000 New Zealanders who were killed during the war …

» Archaeological Museums (Arkeoloji Muzeleri )

Crammed with artworks and artifacts from over the millennia, Istanbul's Archaeology Museum is housed in a complex of three buildings in gardens formerly belonging to Topkapi Palace. Opened in 1891, the museum features archaeology in the main building, a grand classical affair with columns and pediments. The art of the ancient orient is housed in a separate building, and the historic Tiled Kiosk, commissioned by Sultan Mehmet II in 1472, houses a museum of Islamic art …

» Aynalikavak Palace

Aynalikavak Palace is a lovely Ottoman palace located in the Hasköy neighborhood of Istanbul. It was originally built under Sultan Ahmet I in 1613 and served as a summer palace and hunting grounds for numerous Ottoman sultans, who also expanded upon the original palace buildings and grounds. Aynalikavak Palace has intricate and ornate design to it both inside and out. The exterior reflects a traditional Ottoman Palace and has a golden hue and small central dome …

» Balat

Balat is a historically Jewish neighborhood on the shores of the Golden Horn in Istanbul. While a significant Jewish population existed in the area since Byzantine times, the community grew substantially as Jews were evicted from Spain in 1492. The most important attraction in the neighborhood may be the Chora Church, today known as the Kariye Museum. With its intricate mosaics and frescoes from the Byzantine era, it is a must-see …

» Beylerbeyi Palace

Located on the shores of the Bosphorus, on the Asian side of Istanbul, the Beylerbeyi Palace was a summer residence for Ottoman sultans and a guest house to entertain foreign heads of state. Sultan Abdulaziz ordered the construction of the palace in 1863 and it formally opened two years later. Over the years, it hosted visitors such as Empress Eugenie of France, Emperor Joseph of Austria-Hungary, Crown Prince Oscar of Sweden and Nasireddin, the Shah of Iran …

» Beyoglu

Beyoglu is a cosmpolitan district on the European side of Istanbul that includes both Taksim Square and the famous Istiklal Caddesi. Located just north of the Golden Horn and connected to the old city center by the Galata Bridge, Beyoglu is the city's modern center of shopping, entertainment and nightlife. The area around Beyoglu has been inhabited since the time of Christ and grew as a city as early as the 5th century …

» Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii)

Sultan Ahmet Camii built the mosque as homage to himself and to outshine the adjacent Aya Sofia back in the early 1600s. Built on the site of Constantinople's Great Palace, the Blue Mosque named after its blue tiled walls. Outside, the mosque sequence of flattened domes is circled by six pointed minarets …

» Bosphorus

Bosphorus, or the Istanbul Strait, functions not just as a border between Europe and Asia, but as one of the most beautiful sites in all of Turkey. Lined with scenic greenery, palaces, parks, and not to mention an absolutely gorgeous waterfront, Bosphorus has much more to offer than one may initially suspect.
One of its more popular landmarks, Dolmabahce Palace is one of the Ottoman Empire's most significant and grandiose structures …

» Bosphorus Bridge

The Bosphorus Bridge is one of two bridges that spans the Bosphorus Strait, connecting the European and Asian sides of Istanbul. It stretches from Ortakoy on the European side to Beylerbeyi on the Asian side and is sometimes referred to as the First Bosphorus Bridge. At 1560 meters long, the Bosphorus Bridge was the fourth longest suspension bridge in the world when it opened in 1973 and was the first bridge to connect Europe and Asia …

» Bursa

Standout architectural gems in Bursa include the Green Mosque (Yesil Camii) and Green Tomb (Yesil Turbe), early examples of the Ottoman style and featuring carved marble, calligraphy and glazed tiles. Merchants have gathered at Bursa's Koza Han caravanserai since 1490, and the covered market dates back to the 14th century. Shop for traditional shadow puppets and sensuous silks, before visiting the vast imperial Great Mosque with its 20 domes and dozen pillars …

» Camlica Hill

Just a few kilometers from Uskudar in Istanbul, Camlica Hill offers a different perspective of the city. Split into two hills - Big Camlica and Little Camlica - it is a popular destination for residents to picnic and barbeque on the weekends. At 267 meters above sea level, Big Camlica is the highest point in Istanbul and, not surprisingly, offers panoramic views of the surrounding area. From the top, you can see the Bosphorus Bridge, Eminonu Peninsula, the Sea of Marmara and the Princes' Island …

» Canakkale

More than just a launching pad for visits to Gallipoli and Troy, Canakkale is a lively seaside port on the Dardanelles that's an ideal destination for day trips from Istanbul. The waterfront promenade is the place to be in summer, thronged with visitors enjoying the sunshine, outdoor bars and restaurants, and water views. The multistory clock tower near the harbor is a Canakkale landmark, built in 1897 …

» Cicek Pasaji (Cité de Péra)

Cicek Pasaji was the most glamorous address in the Beyoglu district during the heady days of the Orient Express, and today the historic 19th-century arcade is known for its restaurants and lively bar scene. Opened in the old site of the grand Naum Theatre in 1876, Cicek Pasaji was originally known as Cité de Péra, but following the 1917 Russian Revolution the galleria became known as Cicek Pasaji (Turkish for Flower Passage) …

» Dolmabahce Palace (Dolmabahce Sarayi)

When the Ottoman sultans wanted to update their living space, they moved from the Topkapi complex on Seraglio Point to the Dolmabahce Palace (Dolmabahce Sarayi). The sultans lived here from 1856 to 1922. With its columns and pediments, the opulent palace has a very European appearance, and the interior is a mid-Victorian statement in over-the-top luxury. Gilt, marble and crystal abound, and also the home ot the world's largest crystal chandelier, which was a gift from Queen Victoria …

» Ecumencial Orthodox Patriarchate

Istanbul's Church of St George has been the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople since 1600. Since the fall of the Ottomans, the Greek population of Istanbul has largely emigrated, so today it's more of a symbolic center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate than anything else, but the spiritual leader of the world's 260 million Greek Orthodox, Bartholomew I, continues to hold services here, and Orthodox Christians from Greece and across Eastern Europe stream though the church as pilgrims …

» Egyptian Obelisk

The Egyptian Obelisk is also known as the Obelisk of Theodosius or the Obelisk of Thutmose III. The Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose III originally ordered the construction of the obelisk in the 15th century B.C. at the temple of Karnak, near present-day Luxor. The Roman Emperor Constantius II transported the obelisk up the Nile River to Alexandria in the year 357 to commemorate his twentieth year in power. It remained there until Byzantine Emperor Theodosius moved it to Istanbul in 390 …

» Egyptian Spice Market

The heady scents of saffron, cloves, sugar and spice fill the air at the Egyptian Spice Bazaar and Market, or Misir Carsisi, one of Istanbul's oldest markets. Aisle after aisle of stallholders sell their wares in this cavernous covered market, built in 1660, under the market's vaulted ceiling lit by Turkish lamps. Baskets filled with every spice under the sun add colors of gold, orange, yellow and green, and the array of dried fruits and nuts is astounding …

» Eyup Sultan Mosque

The Eyup Sultan Mosque was the first mosque built by the Ottoman Turks after their conquest of Constantinople in 1453. Completed in 1458, it is located on the European side of Istanbul, near the Golden Horn and outside of the old city walls. Mehmet the Conqueror ordered the construction of the mosque next to the place where Eyup Sultan, the standard bearer of the Islamic prophet Muhammed, was said to have been buried when the Arabs attacked Constantinople in the year 670 …

Istanbul TravelTours & Activities

Under the romantic backdrop of minarets and mosques, like a step out of time stands the ancient city of Istanbul. The only city in the world built on two continents, Europe and Asia, standing on the shores of Bosphorus and guarding the precious relics of the world-dominating empires Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman which has been the capital, a unique link between the east and west, past and the present. …

Istanbul Hotels& Accommodation

Istanbul embraces two continents, one arm reaching out to Asia, the other to Europe. The former capital of three successive empires - Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman - today Istanbul honors and preserves the legacy of its past while looking forward to its modern future …